Entry Guide

To qualify for entry to the Free From Christmas Awards, all entries

must be free of at least one of the top 14 UK-listed major allergens
must be commercially available nationwide in the run up to and during Christmas 2022, i.e. sold through independent retailers, online or a multiple retailer.
must be available to buy from a valid UK website (except for in-store only retailers).

The full Awards Terms & Conditions can be found here. By submitting an entry you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions.

The Entry Process

The entries are now closed, so this guide will be once again live July 2023.

If you need any help with your entry, please email us.

Please watch this short video for an entry walk-through.

First step – selecting categories and submitting entry information

Go to the Entry Page and read through the pre-entry checklist

Scroll down and select which categories you’d like to enter, and click ‘Process’ in the bottom righthand corner

Then either:

Create an account (option on the righthand side).
Log in to your existing account (option on the lefthand side).

Once in your account you will find your pre-selected entry form/s already in your Basket; please go ahead and fill in each entry form.

You can save each form for later, and come back to finish them off at a later date – the saved entry forms can be found in your account in ‘Saved’ on the lefthand side.

At the very bottom of each form you will be asked to confirm that you agree not to disclose whether your product has won a medal before the announcements of all winners at the Virtual Awards Presentation on November 1st 2022. See The Results Process below for detail.

Once you have finished the entry form/s click ‘Complete’ – at this point the cost for the entry will be added to your basket.

Second step – making payment

Please make payment via debit card or credit card. You will receive a VAT invoice once payment has been made.

If you wish to pay another way, please click ‘Send me an invoice’. You will then receive your invoice by email. Please make sure to pay within 30 days.

Entry Fees

£185 + VAT per product (Big Brand); £105 + VAT per product if you have 3 or fewer employees (Small Brand)
10% discount on entry forms paid for by 12th August 2022

You’re now entered into the Free From Christmas Awards!

Third step – sharing the news!

We have created a FREE Entrant’s Pack (a shared online drive folder) where you will find everything you need to share news of your entry into FFCA, including:

Free From Christmas Awards copy including category detail, hashtags and social media handles
the Free From Christmas Awards and Entrant logos – see usage guidelines at the bottom of the FAQs page
Christmas images for you to use
Ready-made social media assets for Twitter, Instagram/Facebook

Logging in any time to edit or add more entries

You can see all your entries in your account. Head over to the top right of the website, and click on Account Logins. Select ‘Log in to Free From Christmas Awards’.

Once in your account, click on ‘Complete’ on the lefthand side where you will see all your entries.

The Judging Process

Please take time to read carefully and schedule the necessary reminders for yourselves.

Judging dates

Please make sure your chilled / fresh entries have a long enough shelf life to be within date at the point of consumption on the following dates:

Tues 4th October: 10am – After Dinner; 3pm – Drinks

Weds 5th October: 10am – Christmas Dinner; 2pm – Party Food

Thurs 6th October: 10am – Advent Calendars & Gifting; 2pm – Tea Time

Samples must arrive on time or you may forfeit your entry and fee – see small print below**.

Where should samples be sent?

All samples should be clearly marked either ‘Chilled’, ‘Frozen’ or ‘Ambient’ and sent to:

FFCA22 [Category name],

33 Hampstead Lane

London N6 4RT

Deliveries will be accepted from 8.30am to 4pm weekdays

When do I need to send samples?**

Drinks – entries to be delivered between 9am Weds 28th September – 12 noon on Monday 3rd October

Christmas Dinner – entries to be delivered between 9am Weds 28th September – 5pm Tuesday 4th October

Party Food

– ambient entries to be delivered between 9am Weds 28th September – 5pm on Tues 4th October

– chilled/frozen to be delivered between 9am Weds 28th September – 10am on Weds 5th October

Advent Calendars, Gifting & Stocking Fillers, and Tea Time – entries to be delivered between 9am Weds 28th September – 12 noon on Wednesday 5th October

After Dinner – entries to be delivered between 9am Weds 28th September – 12 noon on Monday 3rd October

How many samples should I send?

For judging, photography and promotion, we require four – six packs in the packaging they will be sold in, or with mock up supplied / emailed. If in doubt send extra: no food is ever wasted and leftovers go to City Harvest.

Anything else I need to know?

**Small print: it is up to you to get samples to us by the time/dates specified above. We cannot chase you individually. If your samples have not arrived by the time the judging of that category takes place, or if samples are no longer in date, you may forfeit your entry into the awards (including your entrance fee).

If you have any queries, please email Cressida.

The Judging Sessions

Our judging sessions are run with a carefully curated panel of 4 – 6 expert judges – read more about our wonderful judges!

Products are judged blind and are made up by kitchen cooks to the instructions on pack – read more about the judging sessions.

Our judges will have access to the entry forms, and can read the mandatory fields you have filled in for each product, and can read any of the optional fields if you have provided extra information.

The Results Process

Once the judging sessions are finished and results are in, we will inform all medal winners of their success in advance of our Virtual Awards Presentation on November 1st. Results are embargoed until 9pm on November 1st, and you will have agreed to this when filling in your entry forms. This advance disclosure, made week commencing 10th October, is to allow entrants to make the most of their wins on packaging, in social media and on websites in the run up to Christmas, and this is unique to the Christmas Awards.

Logos will be available to download and are free to use on your product: see usage guidelines for details.

The Virtual Awards Presentation will take place on November 1st – details will be emailed to entrants and posted here nearer the time.